A toast to Kelantanese breakfast by the lake

A MORNING jog by the lake at Taman Tasik Section 7, Shah Alam, allows one to exercise while enjoying the beauty of nature.

But what’s to be done afterwards, when you are in need of an energy recharge?

You could reward yourself with Kelantanese delights at Roti Kitab, a humble lakeside food stall.

The uniqueness of this stall lies in its name that takes after roti kitab, a classic breakfast toast dish from Kelantan.

Made using thick slices of bread looking like a page of a book, one serving features a slice spread with pandan kaya and a half-boiled egg, priced at RM4.70.

Owner Nik Nasrullah Nik Kamaruddin, 45, who developed a passion in the food business with the encouragement of his mother, began operating his stall in 2021.

“We have 10 kinds of roti kitab here.

Nik Nasrullah adding a dash of pepper to the roti Kitab Barat, a breakfast favourite at his lakeside stall. — Photos: Raja Faisal Hishan/The star

“Most people seem to enjoy Roti Kitab Original, Roti Kitab “Barat” (West) and Roti Kitab “Hancur” which uses scrambled eggs instead,” he said.

His most unique creation would be Roti Kitab Barat which comes with sides of baked beans and two grilled sausages for RM7.70.

“I tried combining elements from Malaysia and the West in a dish so customers can get a taste of both in one meal,” said Nik Nasrullah on the inspiration behind his menu favourite.

The sweetness of the kaya pairs surprisingly well with the savoury sauce from the baked beans, resulting in a unique burst of flavour.

Runny yolk fans would love cracking open the egg and relishing it with the soft, lightly toasted bread.

Patrons can enjoy a wide variety of Kelantanese rice dishes and kuih supplied daily by vendors.

Roti kitab also comes in two sweet variations; one with a layer of Milo powder (RM4.70) and another type served with butter and sugar (RM3.70).

“I felt inspired to share my culture with Shah Alam folk after moving to the city in 1997,” said the Kelantanese.

Apart from roti kitab, he offers patrons other Kelantanese favourites, delivered to the stall every morning.

These include nasi kerabu, nasi dagang, nasi tumpang, nasi himpit and laksam, priced from RM5.50 to RM6.00.

Traditional sweet kuih like beko, lompat tikam, cek mek molek and badak berendam are also available for customers to savour.

For Nik Nasrullah, his food stall is a platform for other Kelantanese vendors to spread their shared food heritage to Klang Valley residents.

Roti Kitab is open from 7.30am to noon daily except for Fridays.

The stall accepts event catering bookings on 018-903 7979.